Latch



(No Model.)

Heem-enemy LATCH.

No. 438,675. Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. BEARDSLEY, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

LA TCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,675, dated October 21, 1890. l Application filed May 3, 1890. Serial No. 350,422. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. BEARDsLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Michigan City, county of La Porte, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Door or Shutter Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide a simple lock for a door, shutter, or other similar place which shall act automatically to lock the door or shutter when the latter is closed and form a firm and secure fastening therefor, while being adapted to unlock easily to allow of the opening of the door, dac.; and the invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my lock as applied to a door or shutter; Fig. 2, a vertical elevation of the right end of the .left-hand face-plate shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the shape and position of the catch or keeper; and Fig. 3, a vertical elevation of the left end of the right-hand faceplate or box.

A and B are two face-plates or boxes; C, a head or shaft; D, a handle, and E a catch or keeper.

The face-plates or boxes A and B are made in any suitable form desired and of any proper dimensions, the box A being fastened to the door or shutter and the box B to the surrounding casing in such relative positions as to allow the parts to act, as hereinafter described. It will therefore be understood that the form given to these boxes in the drawings is merely one of the many forms in which they can be made, the only requisite being that they shall afford support for the operating parts hereinafter described.

In the box A is journaled or rotatably supportedvthe head or shaft C, provided with a suitable handle D for operating the same. From this head extends a lug C preferably in the form of the arc of a circle, preferably somewhat less than a semicircle and concentric with the head, which is preferably cylindrical. This lug may be made integral with the head C or made separate from and attached thereto, as desired.

The box B is provided with a suitable opening F, in which is formed a lug or catch E, adapted to be engaged by the lug C. This catch E, (see Fig. 2,) is somewhat oval in shape with its longer axisin a horizontal plane. By means of this construction the farther in the lug C goes the more tightly it will be held, the oval form of the catch E drawing the lug C inward and bindingit more firmly than would a catch of circular form.

An ear d is preferably provided, as shown, upon the handle D, adapted to be engaged by the bolt of any suitable lock in thecase A, thus locking the handle D.

When the door or shutter is closed, the lug C engages automatically with the lug E, thus locking the door, and, as above stated, if the head C be turned still farther, forcing in the lug C', the door will be locked very tightly, owing to the form of the lugs C and E. In opening the door or shutter the inner end c of the lug C will bear against the surface f beneath the lug E and tend to slightly raise the door or shutter and thus assist in opening it.

I claim- 1. A head provided with a substantially arc-shaped lug, in combination with an 'oval keeper or catch to engage with such lug and be encircled by it, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a head provided with a substantially arc-shaped lug and a catch or keeper of substantially oval shape adapted to engage with such lug and be encircled by it, and provided with a surface against which the outside of the lug bears to raise the door, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the plates A and B, the head C, journaled in the plate A, and provided with a handle D, and means for locking such handle, a lug C in the shape of the arc of a circle, a substantially oval catch or keeper E, engaging with such lug and encircled by it, and a surface F, against which the outside of the lug bears, substantially as described.

HENRY C. BEARDSLEY.

Witnesses: 4

WILLIAM J. MENHENNICK, IRA J. MAHONEY. 

